The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-06


here. Can you not tell why? 1t is
because | love You. May l not come
back some time?"
Molly had turned as white as snow
drop at his words; for in that instant
she knew that to accept his love would
be a f0retaste of Paradise; and, lot
the angel with the sword stood mem
acingly at the gates of the realm of
bliss SO suddenly opening before her.
She could not enter.
"Oh nor she exclaimed wildly, do
not come back. / must never set my
eyes upon Your face again"
Cecil looked at her in surprise.
Could this pale agitated girl be the
frank ioyous creature he had learned
to love so well, what could it mean?
How had his words had power to SO
transform her? But he was soon en-
hghtened.
Before l knew YOU" she continued
hastily, Il promised to be the wife of
a good man. | thought | loved him
well enough to make that promise
And YOU find now that you were
mistaken" interrupted Cecil with a
glad ring in his young voice. 1T is
well that You know it. 1t would be
wrong TO marry a man unless you
gave him your whole heart also"
Did say did not love Richard?"
said Molly with dazed look. II did
not mean to. Oh, please 90 away. |
cannot listen to you For Cecil had
drawn her TO his heart in his impulSive
way.
She disengaged herself from his
arms with terrified feeling that she
had been false to Richard-to kind
| good Richard, who loved her so dearly.
| Then, without another look at Cecil,
| she fled from him as though from n
| dangerous object. She dared not trust
| her own self. 1t was that from which
| she really fled
| Cecil was young and impulsive, and
/ had been accustomed to have his own
way; and he did not give up his hope
of winning Molly without a struggle.
But he found her firm.
You are mistaken in thinking that
| ! could be false to Richard" she said
! piteously. II love him dearly, and |
will try to make him happy"
And Cecil was obliged to take this
for her final answer.
AT least, Molly, YOU will not deny
me your friendship" he said in part
ing.
Il shall be glad to call you friend, "
said Molly. ''But it will be best for
| us not to see each other often. | could
not bear it.
The girl was not aware that this was
confession of weakness on her part.
| She was so intensely anxious to do her
| duty to Richard that everything else
| was forgotten for the moment.
But Cecil's face frightened.
"She loves me!' he thought with a
thrill of joy. But he made no sign of
his discovery, lest it might even more
effectually separate him from her So
ciety.
Time passed on, and Richards ship
was looked for into port.
| A storm arose-one of the most fear
| full that had ever been known upon the
| coast. Wrecks were scattered far and
near, and those who had friends at sea
| wore white frightened faces as they
listened to the Wind Kings ragings.
Molly lived several miles inland, but
her fancy depicted terrible scenes of
ships battling with the angry elements,
and of drowning sailors, amid which
| one white face was ever present-that
of her sailor lover
| One night laundering rap came at
the door. Quaking in every limb, she
| drew on her garments, and crept
down to answer the summons.
1t was Cecil. He was very grave,
and his clothes were wet through, as
though he had been in the water.
Come with me-" he said to Molly.
| 'One you love is near death. | fought
g., G. - f+.r- /
| had succeeded in bringing him to land,
learned that it was Richard Gra-
| hame, whose native shores had buffeted
the returning wanderer. He is con-
scious, and calls for you"
Without a word Molly left him to
put on her wraps. She soon was
ready, and seated herself in a wagon
| beside Cecil. The ride seemed an un-
ending one, but at last it terminated.
Richards pallid face lighted up with
transient glow when he saw her. He
| put out his arms feebly, and with a
| low cry Molly sank upon her knees by
his side and rained kisses upon his
! lips. In that moment she would have
willingly given her life to save the one
so fast ebbing away.
After a while he rallied a little, so
as to be able to talk to her. Unselfish
in his last moments as he had been
through his life, he thought of his
| darling's future more than of himself.
| Molly" whispered the faint voice,
81 meant to have made you so happyi
But it is Gods will that | should 90.
In future years you must not forget
me; but l do not want you to think of
me sadly. | have tried to do my duty,
and have a hope beyond the grave.
| Think of me as one at rest. And,
Molly, you are too little fitted to battle
with the world to remain without a
protector. Some time, if a good man
tries to win you for a wife, do not re-
main single for my sake. 1t would
make me happy to see you tenderly
cared for, and | would not have a
selfish influence over you from my
silent resting place"
| Molly's tears fell silently as she
listened, but they were not remOrseful
drops, for she had been true to Rich
ard in her heart, even if bewilder-
ing dream had come to her to WOO her
| from her duty to him. So those last
few hours were peaceful ones.
Richard died with his head pillowed
| upon her breast, and with his last look
fastened upon her tear-wet face.
1t was many long months before
| Cecil renewed his suit. With instinc-
tive delicacy, he waited for time to
| soften the shock which had rent his
darling's tender heart.
Then he came to her and pleaded
his cause so eloquently that Molly
could not refuse him. But it was a
chastened affection which filled her
| heart, tempered at first with many
thoughts of him who had been stricken
down so suddenly in his young man
| hood.
And Cecil, happy in the possession
of his treasure, Is not Jealous of the
dead. He often accompanies Molly to
| Richards grave, and listens with
/ tender reverence to her as she tells
him how noble and true he was in
heart and life.
Once she said to him gravely:
I'VE owe our happiness to him,
Cecil, for | should have been true to
his memory through my whole life,
and have remained single for his sake,
had he not willed it to be different.
He was unselfish to the last"
MAY his mantle fall upon me" was
Cecils answer, land may / be the
better man for what you have told me
of him. So his influence viii live, al
though his life was cut short"
And after years proved that his wish
came true, for his was a name which
rang through the world, appended to
| noble. charitable deeds.
/ Whenever there was need of aid,
his was the hand To administer bounty.
So one noble life ever influences
another.